Surface treatment of floorboards to eliminate panelization

ABSTRACT

A method for preventing edge bonding between adjacently situated floorboards of a floor system involves the application of a release agent along at least one longitudinal side surface of the floorboards. The release agent counteracts, or neutralizes, the adhesive effects between adjacently situated floorboards which is commonly caused by urethane or water bourne finish coatings, when the finish coating seeps downwardly between the side surfaces of the floorboards. By eliminating surface bonding between adjacently situated floorboards, this invention eliminates panelization of the floor system. The release agent may be a liquid or a solid and may be applied by any one of a number of methods, either at the factory or at the job site. The release agent may be applied to both longitudinal side surfaces of the floorboards, and also to the ends and the bottoms of the floorboards.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to hardwood floor systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for eliminating panelization of the floorboards of hardwood flooring.

2. Background of the Invention

A typical hardwood floor system includes an upper wear layer, or wear surface of elongated tongue-and-groove floorboards. The floorboards are laid end to end in parallel rows, with adjacent rows interlocked by a tongue-and-groove connection. After installation of the floorboards, but prior to use, hardwood floors of this type are usually sanded and then surface treated to protect the wood and to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. This surface treatment involves the application of a finish coating. In the past, shellacs, moisture cured and oil-modified urethane, etc., have been used as finish coatings for hardwood floors. However, due to environmental concerns, the EPA, OSHA, and other governmental agencies have indicated a preference for water bourne finishes for hardwood floors, rather than a variety of other non-water bourne finishes. As a result, the use of water bourne finishes for hardwood floors has increased tremendously in recent years.

Any type of finishing solution may present potential problems for hardwood floors, with water being the most problematic. During surface treating, some of the applied finishing solution can work its way downward between the edges of adjacent floorboards. When located between adjacently situated floorboards, the finish coating often causes the floorboards to stick or adhere together along the edges. The degree of adhesion or edge bonding may depend upon the shapes of the floorboards, the amount of finishing solution residing therebetween and the strength of the finish solution being used. Although under certain circumstances edge bonding may be a problem when an oil-modified urethane finish solution is used, it normally does not create a problem, most likely due to this product's lower tensile properties. Edge bonding seems to have become more prevalent with the increased usage of water based finishing solutions. The appears to be due to this product's low viscosity and its relatively higher tensile properties compared to the oil-modified solutions.

By itself, edge bonding of floor components does not constitute a major problem. However, because of the inherent properties of wood, edge bonding can produce disastrous results. The wooden components in floor systems undergo substantial expansion and contraction with variations of moisture in the air. The greatest variations occur with the changing seasons of the year. As a result of this expansion and contraction, the floorboards of a floor system typically move relative to each other.

If this relative movement is inhibited in some areas because of edge bonding between adjoining floorboards, the corresponding surface forces upon other areas of the floor system will be increased. If several floorboards are adhered firmly together, they act as a single panel which is susceptible to unitary movement away from floorboards bordering the “panel” which are not so strongly adhered thereto. Gaps may appear between adjacent “panels” of floorboards, where little or no edge bonding has occurred. In some instances, these gaps may be large enough for a pencil to fall in. In short, with localized edge bonding forming a plurality of “panels”, cumulative expansion and contraction forces must be dissipated between or along floorboards where edge bonding is weakest, or at the border of the “panel”. This effect of localized edge bonding is referred to a panelization.

Because there is no way to guarantee uniformity in edge bonding between adjacently situated floorboards for the entire surface area of the floor, a significant number of floor systems will eventually succumb to panelization. To date, numerous lawsuits have resulted from defects in floor systems which result from panelization. In some instances, the problem must be solved by installing a new floor system. In other instances, the problem of panelization has not even been acknowledged.

It is an objective of this invention to mitigate panelization of the floorboards of a hardwood floor system.

It is another objective of the invention to mitigate surface bonding between floorboards which causes panelization of a hardwood floor system, particularly a hardwood floor system which has been treated with a water bourne finish.

It is still another objective of invention to mitigate the adverse effects which result from the surface finishing of a hardwood floor system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, the above stated objectives are met by applying a release agent to at least one longitudinal side surface of the floorboards of a floor system prior to application of the finish coating. The release agent effectively neutralizes or minimizes the adhesive properties of the finishing solution so that adjacent floorboards will not stick together. If all adhesion between floorboards is eliminated, expansion and contraction from moisture will not cause panelization, i.e., edge bonding.

Applicant's tests show that paraffin wax, acrylic, liquid paste wax, paste wax, urethane, epoxy, polyfilm with pressure sensitive adhesive, teflon, silicon, and other compounds such as oil and petroleum gel, have proved successful in eliminating or significantly minimizing the surface bonding between adjacently situated floorboards of a hardwood floor system.

Typically, edge bonding occurs most frequently along the longitudinal side surfaces of elongated floorboards. Therefore, the release agent should be applied in an effective amount along one or both longitudinal side surfaces of floorboards, above the tongue-and-groove interconnection. This is the location between the floorboards where the finishing solution is most likely to seep into and cause edge bonding.

Nevertheless, it may also prove useful to apply the release agent to one or both of the transverse end surfaces of the floorboards. Moreover, in some cases it may also be necessary or desirable to prevent bottom bonding. In these cases, the release agent may also be applied in an effective amount to the bottom surfaces of the floorboards.

This release agent may be applied to the floorboards in the factory or at the job site. If applied in the factory, the release agent may be applied immediately after exit from a profiling machine which molds or shapes a desired cross-sectional shape, such as a tongue-and-groove configuration, in the longitudinal side surfaces of the elongated floorboards. In this embodiment, the invention contemplates equipping a profiling machine, at its exit, with fixtures necessary to meter a uniform flow of liquid paste or other release agent onto an upper portion of one or both longitudinal side surfaces of the floorboards immediately upon exit from the molding or shaping stage. Metering of the solution assures uniformity in coating.

Alternatively, the release agent may be applied by roller coating, spray application, wick application or even by friction coating, depending upon the release agent. Other methods may also prove successful.

Another advantage achieved by the use of a release agent between adjacent floorboards relates to lubrication of the commonly used tongue-and-groove interconnection between adjacently situated floorboards. Because the release agent can serve as a lubricant, a closer tolerance may be used in manufacturing the floorboards, thereby providing tighter and more uniform tongue-and-groove fits between adjacently situated floorboards. While features of the present invention apply equally to embodiments having beveling along the tops of the longitudinal side surfaces of the floorboards, the tighter fit between adjacent floorboards mitigates any need for undesired beveling. The overall tighter fit of the installed floor may thus necessitate considerably less sanding prior to application of the finish coating.

The use of a release agent will prove beneficial with solid floorboards, such as maple or oak, floorboards formed from laminated wood, as well as floors that include plastic, rubber, laminate or other synthetic materials. It should further be understood that features of the present invention also benefit modular floors made from interconnecting sections of flooring, such as portable floors. In the context of the present invention, the outside edges of such sections may be treated with a surface release agent in a manner analogous to the maple floorboards described herein. For purposes of this specification, the term “floorboard” is thus meant to encompass floor sections, as well as boards comprising synthetic materials, i.e., boards made from material other than wood. In short, this invention contemplates the use of surface treatment to mitigate panelization and/or undesirable frictional effects for all species of floors.

These and other features of the invention will be more readily understood in view of the following detailed description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a floor system that illustrates the advantageous features of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, end view of a joint of the floor system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a profiling machine equipped with a release agent dispenser in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows, in partial cross-section, a plurality of parallel floorboards 10 which form the upper surface or wear layer of a hardwood floor system. Each of the floorboards 10 includes a tongue 11 which extends outwardly from one longitudinal side surface and a groove 12 formed in an opposite longitudinal side surface. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each floorboard 10 has a first longitudinal side surface 13 with a groove 12 formed therein and a second longitudinal side surface 14 with a tongue 11 extending outwardly therefrom. As is well known in the art of floor construction, the tongues 11 are received in the grooves 12 to interlock adjacently situated floorboards 10.

The upper surfaces 16 and 17 of the floorboards 10 are typically square and coplanar as shown in FIG. 1. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that surfaces of the floorboards of another embodiment may be beveled. Such beveling, for instance, may be useful to minimize the noticeability sharp edges caused by any misalignment.

According to the invention, a release agent is applied to either one or more of the longitudinal side surfaces 13 and 14, including all surfaces of the tongue 11 and groove 12, as well as the bottom surface 15 of the floorboards 10. Preferably, the release agent is applied along upper portions of longitudinal side surfaces 13 and 14, respectively. In FIG. 1, the location of the release agent is designated by a shaded region.

The release agent may be paraffin wax, acrylic, liquid paste wax, paste wax, polyfilm with pressure sensitive adhesive, teflon, silicon or other compounds such as oil or petroleum jelly, or any known chemically inert compound. All of these compounds counteract, or neutralize, the adhesive properties of commonly used water based finishes or the urethane finishes used to coat floorboards 10. Applicant has learned that treatment of the surfaces of sections prior to installation with a low molecular weight acrylic dispersed in water or other solvents may also mitigate the effects of panelization. Using the surface release treatment of one preferred embodiment, which may include commercially available products such as Mop & Glow®, allows finished floors and panels to separate more easily. Such panels include those typically used in portable floor systems. This feature translates into faster disassembly and reduces the potential for damage to the floor.

The amount of release agent applied to the floorboards 10 will depend upon which release agent is selected, and whether or not it is applied to one or more of the longitudinal side surfaces 13 and 14, which include all exposed surfaces of tongue 11 and groove 12, and/or the underside surface 15 of the floorboards 10. For floor systems having a wear surface of solid wood floorboards 10 and/or nonstructural, i.e., laminated, wood components, it is preferable to apply a thin coat evenly along desired surfaces using a sprayer or a brush. Multiple coats may be applied as desired.

If desired, the release agent may also be applied to the transverse end surfaces of the floorboards 10, thereby to prevent edge bonding between the floorboards 10 laid end to end in the same row. Moreover, if the floorboards 10 are supported upon any subfloor structure, such as sleepers or panels, the release agent may also be applied to bottoms 15 of the floorboards 10 to prevent bottom bonding.

Although bottom bonding may be less likely to occur than edge bonding, due to the lower probability of the finishing agent to work its way to the bottom 15 of the floorboards, it is found that bottom bonding has actually occurred in some portable hardwood floor systems commonly used for basketball. Another benefit of this invention is the relatively low cost of applying the release agent to the ends and the bottoms of the floorboards 10, compared to the benefits achieved.

The release agent may be applied to the floorboards 10 in the factory or at the job site. FIG. 2 shows one manner of applying the release agent in the factory. More particularly, FIG. 3 shows a molding/shaping machine 30 that cuts or forms the cross-sectional shape of the floorboards 10 to a desired configuration. The machine 30 includes a table 31 and two cutting units 32 and 33 supported on the table 31 in spaced relation to define a passage 34 therebetween. Blades 35 extend into the passage to cut a floorboard 10 to the desired cross-sectional shape. Subsequent to cutting the floorboard 10, the release agent is applied to at least one of the underside 15 and/or longitudinal side surfaces 13 and 14 of each of the floorboards 10.

In FIG. 3, a dispenser 38 mounted adjacent the passage 34 includes a fluid duct 39 through which the release agent flows to contact the floorboard 10. The dispenser 38 may also include a sponge, a roller, a nozzle, a brush or any other suitable means for applying a liquid or even solid release agent to the floorboards 10. Alternatively, the release agent may be applied to the floorboards 10 in a separate step, at the factory or at the job site. Application may be performed by roll coating, spray application, wick application, frictional coating or other known application and/or dispensing processes.

As indicated previously, the application of the release agent between floorboards 10 produces an ancillary benefit, that of enabling a tighter tolerance to be used in dimensioning the desired transverse cross-sectional dimensions of the floorboards 10. More specifically, the release agent serves as a lubricant to assist movement of the tongues 11 within the grooves 12 of adjacently situated floorboards 10, and a tighter fit may be used. With a tighter fit, the variations in the locations of the tops of the floorboards 10 will be reduced.

In sum, for a hardwood floor system which includes a wear surface of tongue-and-groove floorboards 10, the floorboards 10 are initially cut at the factory, and a release agent is applied to a predetermined surface area of each of the floorboards. Alternatively, the release agent is applied at the job site after shipping. The installer of the floor then secures the floorboards 10 in place, sands the installed floorboards 10 and applies a finish coating. Due to the neutralizing effects of the release agent upon the finishing solution, undesired surface bonding of adjacently situated floorboards 10 and subfloor gluing is eliminated. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the surface bonding for purposes of this specification includes bonding between edges and other adjacent surfaces. As a result of the features of the present invention, the adverse effects cause by panelization are also eliminated.

Having described the invention in the context of illustrated and preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations may be made without departing from the concepts of the invention. 

1. A floor having a wear surface formed from a plurality of floorboards arranged end to end in parallel rows, the floorboards having top and bottom surfaces, longitudinal side surfaces and end surfaces of a predetermined transverse cross-sectional shape, comprising: a release agent residing between the longitudinal side surface of adjacently located rows of floorboards, the release agent having been applied to at least one longitudinal end surface of the floorboards, whereby the release agent counteracts adhesion between adjacently located floorboards, including adhesion that can be caused by finish coating that seeps downwardly through the wear surface.
 2. The floor of claim 1 wherein the release agent is located along upper portions of the longitudinal side surfaces of the floorboards.
 3. The floor of claim 1 wherein one longitudinal side surface of the floorboards has a tongue and the tongue has a groove release agent is applied along at least one of a tongue and a groove of each of the floorboards.
 4. The floor of claim 1 wherein the release agent is selected from a group of components which includes: paraffin wax, acrylic, liquid paste wax, paste wax, polyfilm with pressure sensitive adhesive, urethane, epoxy, teflon, silicon, oil, and petroleum gel.
 5. The floor of claim 1 and further comprising: the release agent also residing along the bottom surfaces of the floorboards, and having been applied thereto.
 6. The floor of claim 1 and further comprising: the release agent also residing between the end surfaces of the floorboards, and having been applied thereto.
 7. The floor of claim 1 wherein the release agent has been applied by roll coating.
 8. The floor of claim 1 wherein the release agent has been applied by spraying.
 9. The floor of claim 1 wherein the release agent has been applied by wicking.
 10. The floor of claim 1 wherein the release agent has been applied by friction coating.
 11. A method for forming a floor with a wear surface defined by upper surfaces of a plurality of floor steps comprising: Forming a plurality of elongated floor steps to a predetermined cross-sectional shape; applying a release agent to at least one such surface of the formed elongated floor steps; and arranging and securing the elongated floor steps end to end in parallel rows to form a floor.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the forming includes cutting the floorboards to the predetermined shape, with each floorboard having a tongue extending along one longitudinal side edge and a groove extending along the other longitudinal side edge.
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the floorboards are solid wood.
 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the floorboards are of a laminated construction.
 15. The method of claim 11 wherein applying the release agent comprises: dispensing the release agent in liquid form onto the floorboards.
 16. The method of claim 11 wherein the apply occurs via one of the following: a. Roll coating the release agent; b. Spraying the release agent; c. Wicking the release agent; and d. Friction coating the release agent.
 17. A method of producing a floor having a plurality of floorboards serving as a wear surface, comprising: applying a release agent to at least one surface of each of the floorboards; securing the floorboards to form the wear surface; and applying a finish coating to the wear surface, whereby the applied release agent counteracts adverse adhesive effects between adjacently situated floorboards that can be caused by the finish coating as the finish coating seeps downwardly between the floorboards.
 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising sanding the wear surface after the applying of the release agent. 